Civil War soldier to be honored in Changing of the Colors

Submitted Photo
This photo, taken in the 1920s, shows the last eight surviving members of the Grand Army of the Republic. John Scott, who will be honored at the Changing of the Colors ceremony May 25, is the man with the long white beard in front of the American flag. When he died, he was the second oldest living member of the group.

MOUNT CARMEL - As part of Memorial Day weekend services, the Mount Carmel Area Joint Veterans and Garfield Camp 34 of the Sons of Union Veterans will hold a Changing of the Colors at 1 p.m. Sunday, May 25, at Second and Oak streets. This ceremony will be in honor and memory of Private John Scott who was a veteran of the Civil War.

Scott was born in England April 25, 1841. He came to the United States with his parents when he was three years old. The family was among the early settlers in Mount Carmel. They resided in an area known as Bell's Tunnel, east of Mount Carmel.

Scott enlisted in the Union Army in the later part of 1863 at Philadelphia and was assigned to the Eighth Pennsylvania Calvary, Company D. The veteran participated in no less than 16 major battles in the Civil War, including the Battle of Gettysburg, the Battle of Richmond and Petersburg. He was also in the Welden Railroad Campaign. He was honorably discharged in August 1865.

Scott was the officer of the day of the Burnside Post of the Grand Army of the Republic in Mount Carmel. He was also a member of Mount Carmel Lodge 630, International Order of Odd Fellows and the First Presbyterian Church. He was a miner.

Scott later died in an accident. He was out for a walk and when it began to rain, the 86-year-old became bewildered and may have lost his sense of direction in trying to find his way home. Instead of traveling east on the Avenue and turning south on Hickory Street to his home, he turned north at Oak and Avenue and fell down the first flight of the Oak Street steps. After being aided by a local physician, he was rushed by Dyke Community Ambulance to Shamokin State Hospital. Later, he was returned to his home at 230 S. Hickory St. where he went in and out of consciousness for about a week.

Upon his death Dec. 2, 1927, there were only seven surviving members of the local post of the Grand Army of the Republic. They were Jacob Umlauf, Thomas Wardrop, John G. Cohoon, Joseph Buddinger, John J. Tobias, C.B. Zimmerman and Daniel Delcamp. Upon his request, Burnside Post GAR was put in charge of the funeral arrangements.

Survivors included four sons, all of Mount Carmel; 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Viewing was held in the home and services were then held at the First Presbyterian Church. Burial was at Mount Carmel Cemetery. Undertaker James A. Dyke was in charge.

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